I'm on vacation in the U.S., visiting family in the Carolinas. I'll be back in France soon.
Our South Carolina cousin Virginia lived for years in the town of Fort Mill, S.C., between Rock Hill and Charlotte. Fort Mill is now a large and affluent suburb of Charlotte, just a few miles to the north. It retains some of its small-town charm, as you can see from the pictures in this post.
Our South Carolina cousin Virginia lived for years in the town of Fort Mill, S.C., between Rock Hill and Charlotte. Fort Mill is now a large and affluent suburb of Charlotte, just a few miles to the north. It retains some of its small-town charm, as you can see from the pictures in this post.
A mural on the brick wall of the local newpaper office
A sign in the window of a downtown shop (a secondhand shop, if I remember. And we thought
shops in France kept erratic and unpredictable business hours...
Your guess about this one is as good as mine. Established in 1968, whatever it is.
I liked the old-timey barber shop and the barber pole. I can't imagine why
so many men were waiting to get haircuts on a Tuesday morning.
After a brief tour around Fort Mill for old times' sake, we got back on the Interstate highway and crossed the border into North Carolina.
I see you've descended into full whimsy mode -- the holiday is either doing you good or it's a defensive strategy :-)
ReplyDeleteThe odd opening hours piccy is great... remind me of the guys who used to service our red 2CV... they had a sign very, very similar on their door... and it was spot on... especially the bit about not really being there when they were!!
ReplyDeleteAnd the chilli pepper shop... been there, bought the t-shirt... never, never, never ever again will I go to the loo after chopping chillies without washing my hands first... my thenwife found me sitting in the sink with the tap running!!
Thanks for recalling two memories...
Haircuts... partners told them to get it cut at the w/e... and the barber was closed on Monday...
The opening times poster is funny. Australians side with the English, thinking Americans don't have much of a sense of humour. Clearly not the case.
ReplyDeletemy hubby goes to an old timey barber - he just loves it. i think it can be kind of a social club.
ReplyDeleteOhioFarmGirl, that's what my mother said: maybe men gather at the barbershop to socialize and gossip. But the men I saw through the doorway didn't seem to be talking to each other.
ReplyDeleteSusan, the time here is doing me good.
ReplyDeleteTim, shops here don't close on Mondays, so that doesn't explain the Tuesday crowd.
Andrew, we think we have a fine sense of humor. You foreigners just don't understand it! As we don't understand yours very well.
Ken
ReplyDeleteOr else there is a TV set inside and they are all watching the same channel whereas at home it may be tuned to some soap operas, talking head shows about women interests or food network :-)
Ken, look at your photo... it says Closed on Monday on the sign in the window...
ReplyDeleteand of course the Americans have a sense of humour...
look at Charlie Chaplin...
look at Bob Hope...
errrr, hold on, they were both British!!
I lovc the posters, pics, and the funny comments of your "admirateurs"/fans, Ken ;-) !!!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you're having a great time !
Bises
Mary
Good eye, Tim. I hadn't noticed the sign.
ReplyDeleteLily Tomlin. Robin Williams. Abbott and Costello. Jerry Lewis. Lenny Bruce. Ellen DeGeneres. Jonathan Winters. Johnny Carson. Whoopi Goldberg. Woody Allen. Paula Poundstone.
I'm sure some people think the French don't have a sense of humor either. And I know what you all think of French music.
LOVE the sign by "the Management"! Found this about Pucker Butt http://puckerbuttpeppercompany.com/
ReplyDeleteHa! Great stuff! I love small-town stuff :)
ReplyDeleteJust looked at PuckerButts website... interesting!! The article about "The Arms Race to Grow World's Hottest Pepper Goes Nuclear" is about the Naga Viper chilli... developed in the UK by Gerald Fowler. It was mentioned this w/e on the BBC Food Programme [Radio 4]... it is one million Scoville units... loosley speaking, is a scale of dilution to test the strength... dilute it 1,000,000 times and you can still taste the heat. [Scotch Bonnet are around 300,000 to 350,000 Scoville and the scale is LOGRITHMIC!!]
ReplyDeleteVery Funny! Love that kind of humor when I'm traveling to new places!
ReplyDeleteMerci, Ken - and I'm so glad you are enjoying your trip!
Pucker Butts reminds me of a hot sauce Mitch has called "Sphincter Shrinker." Same idea, I guess...
ReplyDeleteIf it was an actual butt shrinker, I'd be consuming copious quantities, of course! LOL